


Blood moon with elegance

by Milener



Category: Original Work
Genre: Based on some real British etiquette from the middle ages, Bisexual Character, Blood, Complex royal family, F/F, Lesbian Sex, London, Magic, Middle Ages, Multi, Time Travel, Vampires
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-20
Updated: 2016-02-24
Packaged: 2018-05-15 04:36:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5771590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Milener/pseuds/Milener
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I'm already attracted to you, how can I resist?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An original vampire story, just a prologue first.

Prologue

 

 April, 1668.

  Five aristocrat members with magic powers stood in a dim light chamber, everyone wore different color robes, dark-blue, dark-green, silver, and two people wore black. They stood around a magic circle.

  The one wore dark-blue robe started to mumbling some spells, others crossed their index finger and middle finger on the forehead with right hand above the magic circle.

  The voice of the incantations echoing in the chamber, with only a dozen of candle lights, the huge magic circle can be seen a part of it on the ground.

  Maybe the chanted time was lengthy, the member wore dark-green robe took a glance at the one wore dark-blue as if only to make sure would it take so long to do this.

After mumbling some spells, the member wore dark-blue said with a calm and cold voice, “Be more attention on the blood rite later, Bella. You’re not first time doing this with me.”

“Yes, my queen.” Her voice shivered because of she knew this was no command but threatening. She thought the queen did not notice she glanced at her, but clearly she was wrong.

“If this fails, I will no doubt sacrifice you to the Sun of the God.” The queen threatened her with an even colder voice.

“Sacrifice to the Sun of the God” meant severely to Bella, no doubt was a warning. Other members were shocked as well. Bella dare not to be distracted, lowered her head down and focus what should do now.

After the chanted time, began the blood rite.

The queen ordered to the soldiers outside at the chamber door, “Bring him here.”

The soldiers brought with a man who barely dressed and with cuffs on his hand and ankles to the center of the magic circle. Judging by the clothing of the man on the ground, he was once an aristocrat and had been beaten cruelly.

The soldiers cuffed the man on the ground, nodded to the queen reverently and went outside.

The man knew his destiny that he was about to die in this very chamber, begged and cried despairingly to the queen for mercy.

“My queen, don’t kill me! I’m BEGGING you! Please…Please spare my life!”

The queen ignored his shouting; keep mumbling some spells while the others joined her later on.

The man felt anxious and tried to use his bare hands unlock the cuffs which were tightened on the ground, and of course what he was doing now was in vain, he was nowhere else to go. As for the queen, he was only struggled for his depleted life, as if he kept shouting would be freed.

After everyone chanted incantations, the queen squatted, grabbed his chin, forced him looked her in the eye.

“Now you knew what the consequences will be if anyone disobeys me?” The queen gave him the coldest look he ever seen.

“PLEASE! Please, my queen, I won’t do _that_ anymore! Please spare me, pity my unworthy life!”

The wicked smile appeared underneath the dark-blue robe, “If it’s an _unworthy_ life, why should you keep it then?”

The man was speechless and pale, with fears in his eyes. Though he inhaled with a faint rose smell from the queen, it was only a deadly noxious fume for him.

Sharp teeth appeared from the queen’s mouth, with a fast speed approached the man’s neck and forced into his veins. His blood spilled down the ground as the man screamed, the queen sucked some blood for a few seconds then wiped her mouth and stood up elegantly.

The queen gestured Bella with her eyes, she saw the gesture and squatted to taste the man’s blood. Piercing shriek echoing in the chamber, the queen watched with coldness as other member sucked his blood and continued the blood rite, until the last one with the dark robe dried out his blood thoroughly.

The queen flicked her fingers, the soldiers outside went into the chamber and took the deadly man still with his eyes and mouth opened outside.

The magic circle all covered with blood, the ground was in disarray, but the queen seemed did not care at all. Everyone gazed at the circle and waited quietly.

A few minutes later, the ground started to shine and sucked in all the blood inside like there were nothing happened before. The totem within the magic circle appeared clearly; it was a hexagram with a trident in the middle, surrounded by some spells.

Then, the ground remained the hexagram, the trident and the spells were gone with the light.

“Everyone, we have succeeded. This spell will appear at two places in our city. One is in Itte Square. It only shows up during each month’s full moon, at the bottom of the fountain, disappeared when the spells caught up five people. Anyone who accidently touches the totem will be transferred into this chamber, we don’t need to hunt for food with wary or trepidation, the food will come to us.” The queen said with placid and gentle.

“Pardon me, my queen. Would it really work? I mean, even we set the spells at our most bustling place still need chances let our people touch the totem.” The one wore silver robe asked.

The queen pointed to the ground, “The totems will appear in the center of Itte Square, which is our fountain located; anyone who sees the totem will be attracted and want to touch it without aware. The person will be transferred into this place within an hour unconsciously.”

“But where’s the other spell?” Bella asked.

“To avoid any cases happens, the other one will appear at the entrance of the arch, but it will have to take a chance.”

“My queen,” The one wore dark robe asked, “I understand you’ve done all these things only because our food hunting problems. But actually we formed a hunting team two years ago; we also could hunt for our tribe.”

The queen snarled with rage, “SILENCE! I have not done this with you and now you dare to bring it up to me?”

Everyone knelt down, the dark robe person especially strained. “I’m apologized, my queen, I…I did not mean to irritate you, I’m only…”

“QUIET! You formed the hunting team without my permission; I tolerated this kind of behavior until our tribe lost almost a hundred people within two years, divulge our identity virtually. If it was not because of my brother Brian is a courtier of this kingdom and controlled the king, wouldn’t he hunt us down? I give you one day dismiss that DAMN hunting team, if I know anyone who presented the team to hunt and cause troubles, the next person in the middle will be you. Am I clear?”

The dark robe man flinched, “Yes, my queen. I will dismiss it immediately.”

The queen turned to the man wore silver robe, “Duncan, the circle will work start from today, make sure there have guards in each full moon.” The queen ordered him firmly.

 “You’ll be charged to manage this place. The totems will work in the same time. Though this kingdom is not huge, but every month catches five people would be enough for us. Furthermore, the king told my brother that he can deal with the criminals freely, so we’ll have more food rather than just five. Basically, we don’t have to worry about the food problems for the next decade. Despite the fact there are a hundred thousand people live in this kingdom; we vampires are less than five hundred people remaining. Duncan, I hope I can count on you.”

“Of course, I won’t disappoint you, my queen.” Duncan lowered his head down with a firm replied.

“This Saturday will be the full moon. The totem will appear at midnight, I will be here to tell you how to proceed, plus, the palace will hold a banquet on the same day, then will have more aristocrat and royal members from other areas, still not clear how many people exactly, we must be more careful. We can’t expose our true selves.”

“I understand, my queen.”

The queen speak to all of them, “Until then, arrange more soldiers here. Those citizens who transfer in here would all be ours, and dead men tell no tales. I am anticipated this Saturday coming.”

Every member knelt down as the queen walked out the chamber.

The hexagram on the ground, waited.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first vampire story, inspired by three movies, "Twilight", "Van Helsing", & "Underworld".  
> The story is a lesbian vampire story, I've already planned it in my head. This is just a start, leave comments if you'd prefer. Thank you for reading!
> 
> (P.s.: Some of the basic information about the characters will be released at the end of each chapter.)


	2. Chapter 2

  April, 2008.

  It was a full moon night, with stars shined above the sky.

  London has always been foggy; a clear sky like this was not that common.

  Sylvia Krane, a 28-year-old woman who loved history. She enjoyed studying the story behind it.

  She was studying PHD about western history, and she really wanted to apply the field research funding from the school. She was studying the history of the vampires, however, most of the researching data are basically from novels, there were no evidence could showed the idea of the vampires truly exist.

  The reason why Sylvia was fascinated by the vampires was when she was still a college student; she was doing her report late that night, with so many things to do but still accidently fell asleep.

She dreamt about a beautiful, tall, with an unforgettable smile woman. Though the woman’s face was blurring to her now, she can’t forget the woman’s soft, elegant body, and her irresistible charm.

  In her dream, the beautiful woman stood with her in a garden beneath the gentle moonlight, she stroked Sylvia’s tresses and the other hand around her waist.

  Though the woman was taller than her, she was still clung to Sylvia. Her head on Sylvia’s shoulder nuzzled her neck and slowly smelled the essence of her.

  “You are so adorable and attractive.” The woman said it with a crystal-like voice.

  Her lips slightly pressed on Sylvia’s neck and licked, Sylvia saw her showed a little bit of sharp teeth from her mouth but did not do anything to her. Sylvia felt her heart leapt, beating fast, she looked at the woman and asked, “Who are you?”

  The woman kissed her ear and whispered, “What do you think?”

  Sylvia did not answer; she knew she was a vampire. The woman put her finger under Sylvia’s chin; her looks were tender with emerald eyes, and her rose-like lips met with Sylvia’s, so soft and greedy.

  Because of this dream, to Sylvia was wonderful, then intrigued her and fascinated by the vampires.

 

  She lived near the campus, and for not obtained the opportunity to live in the dormitory, she rent a suite for herself only, not to be interrupted by anyone else and do the research whenever she wanted. Her room was only ten square meters, not with much furniture; she was surrounded by the books, just like a little library of her own.

  She took some novels from the bookshelf; they were all about the vampires. She had read them before, found out that almost every book, every author had described their characters were with handsome looks or a pretty face. One thing that in common was scared of the sun. Some of them afraid of garlic, crucifix, wooden stakes, or holy water.

  _Well, maybe every author read each of everyone’s work as a reference and then drew a mental picture from their heart?_ Sylvia thought.

  Although she was studying PHD, did not have much time to have fun or relax, mostly doing research day and night; but when it comes to vampires, she would be excited and even watched every movies or read novels about them - burning the midnight oil - finding how they described them.

  Sylvia had borrowed some documents from the library, despite that the records did not have much to refer, but still. She merely can concluded in that all the documents she collected that the vampires possibly just a fictitious character from the author Bram Stoker.

  It was already passed midnight, but she still wanted to read through all the documents and make notes.

  There was a paragraph had caught her attentions:

  _“In 1792, a German explorer discovered some historical remains in Goytte Forest, located in England. Although the fact that the pillars are old and broken still can recognize that it was an arched entrance of a place. According to the explorer, there’s a strange symbol carved on the middle pillar: a trident, and some written words around it. Passed the arch, there’s a dry fountain in the middle of the abandoned village if anyone keeps walking through. The place is filled with a weird and a gruesome atmosphere._

_Further information from the German explorer, he said that outside of the forest, some village people told him there was a rumor that the abandoned village inside Goytte Forest was a big and thriving city one or two hundred years ago. Population was more than five thousand hundred people, said that the vampires had lived there; however there were no any living people or anything can prove that the vampires truly exist in that place, plus the citizens were all moved out after 1680, the historical remains are ruined like a dead city with ghost inside it. Till now, the reason why the city has decayed and whether to do with the vampires or not still is a big mystery.”_

  The documents only contained this paragraph, why was it so short? Sylvia thought if this paragraph is included in the documents, and the city described was once more than five thousand hundred people of population, at least should write more about their culture, customs, clothing, or diet varies inside. But there were no anything to read next, like there was something concealed behind it and do not want to be discovered by anyone else. This paragraph was a key to her.

  She thought the school has not been generous to those history majors, if she use this document as the apply conditions for the field research funding, maybe she would succeed. If not, she would pay by herself instead.

  Maybe this was an unrealistic plan, but she has the documents now, she could apply the funding with the reason “prove the actuality of history”. She knew the chances might be small, the paragraph still made her wanted to find out what had happened in that area.

  Sylvia took some time get the paper sorted and sent out the application form. Not within a few days the paper had returned to her, and the reason was “The number of this year’s application of field research funding was full.” And “Provided documents were not complete.”

 

  In the afternoon, Sylvia sat under a tree alone in the campus, with those returned papers, staring blankly into the sky.

  She knew this would happen in advance, she still cannot hide the emotion of sadness on her face.

  “Hey!” A woman with a short hair appeared from behind of Sylvia, sat down beside her.

  “Hi, Tina.” Sylvia said with a sad tone.

  Tina Valletine was Sylvia’s best friend since the freshman year. They both were History majors and their performances on grades were outstanding. They also made a deal that they would apply the same school for studying MA and PHD.

  When they were studying MA, Sylvia chose keep studying History until now; but for Tina, she chose to study International Business and took some courses about psychology.

  Sylvia knew Tina’s parents were all in business, so there were no surprises for her. She only asked Tina why she wanted to study psychology, Tina merely replied with a smile, “Knowing people’s mind, easier to succeed in business. Observing people is fun.”

  Tina sat down with her without asking any question then grabbed the documents from Sylvia’s hand, read through them quickly and raised her eyebrows.

  “You applied for the field research funding?”

  “Yeah, I did.” Sylvia continued staring at the ground.

  Tina tapped her head with the papers, “Are you sure you are studying PHD? A person who studies doctorate tends to be smart, not stupid.”

  Sylvia pouted.

  “I thought you realized the school said the students can apply for the funding but actually there’s no such thing!”

　Sylvia took back the papers from Tina’s hand, “I just wanted to give a shot.”

  “Don’t you remember a few months ago we just asked the department assistant about the funding? Cynthia already said that although the school allow students apply the research funding in advance, but this kind of funding has never exist, it just a name for it. Even it truly exist, the person who can obtain the funding would be designated ahead.”

  “So, maybe I chose my research topic wrong. Maybe I should study ‘the history of under-the-table operations: The past and the future’ instead.” Sylvia said it with a wry smile.

  “Yeah, and then you’ll be expelled.”

  “Then, what you suggesting me to do? There’s no funding and I…”

  Tina interrupted her, “Of course pay by yourself! It won’t spend too much, you are going to do the field research, not group traveling.”

  Tina was always the one who can influence Sylvia’s thoughts or decisions if she had any problems.

  Sylvia thought maybe Tina was right. She’s not going to have a vacation in some places; this really won’t cost her too much.

  Though the department assistant said that there were no such funding, what if it was real and she had the money to do the research and then failed, it may be a pressure for her.

  “By the way, crazy JD says hi to you.” Tina rolled her eyes.

  “Jocelyn Dale? Again? What does she want this time?”

  The phrase “crazy JD” was made by Tina. Sylvia met her when she was studying MA. Though Jocelyn was younger than her, she was a very smart girl.

  She does things efficiently, also can manage multiple tasks at the same time. However, due to she was TOO efficient, Jocelyn told Sylvia she liked her even they just met for a month and even kissed her. Jocelyn only did not take a photo and put on the internet tell the world.

  As a result, Sylvia freaked out and tried to keep the distance from her. Tina also suggested Sylvia be aloof or ignore her, let Jocelyn knows that she did not want to see her or even talk to her. But Sylvia merely talked to Jocelyn with a flat statement, unconcerned. Sylvia knew she did not have feelings for Jocelyn, at least not the pleasant feelings she felt from her dream.

  However, Jocelyn did not back out, she even tried to near Sylvia as much as possible. She also pried from some friends what Sylvia’s MA studying for, collected plenty of documents that were precious and hard to find for her voluntarily, the final dissertation made Sylvia’s professor really impressed.

  When she knew that Sylvia was about to study doctorate in the same college, Jocelyn tried very hard to keep up with her, she heard Jocelyn will gain the MA degree this year, only a few months away, and plans to study doctorate the following year.

  Tina said, “My psychology class had just dismissed when I walked out of the classroom and then I saw her standing outside. She’d like to have lunch with you next Monday.”

  Sylvia looked at her phone, and she got several missed calls from Jocelyn. She was busying these days so she sometimes would have no time answering the phone.

  “Well, I’ll text her back later. I have a meeting with Professor Prin next Monday afternoon.”

  “Professor Prin? You mean the one who likes to make a bad joke; the one asked you to be his research assistant this January?

“Yes, that’s the one. He asked me to make a report for him within a month last time. I asked Jocelyn for help, she collected a part of it and I did the rest. I had it done for two weeks! It was an exhausting task.” Sylvia frowned.

“I’ve already knew that when I was studying MA, I took his social psychology class. He truly likes to give the students multiple tasks. He had us to make a fifteen-page-long of social psychology report in a week to him. There was a student sent to the hospital in the middle of the semester. Everyone knew that you will have a heart attack if you take his course.”

“And I heard that he hasn’t married yet, has he?”

“Yeah. Research is his wife and life.”

Tina looked at the stack of paper in Sylvia’s hand, “So, about that vampire research, when will you plan to do the field research then?”

Sylvia though for a while, “About the middle of next month.”

“You planned to do that after Easter?”

“That’s right. I’ve already wrote a half of my original doctorate dissertation, the rest will finish before June. I think it won’t be a problem if I ask for a month’s vacation to do the field research. Professor Marian is quite nice to negotiate with.”

“What about the place? Where are you going to investigate?”

“Based on the documents I borrowed from the library, the place was called Goytte Forest right here in England. The last time the researchers investigated was in 1792.”

Tina frowned, “That was around two hundred years ago. Is that a forbidden place? That’s really unusual in the history researching field.”

“I have no idea.” Sylvia shrugged.

“And the Goytte Forest? There are so many forests in England; I don’t remember there was one called that.”

“Maybe was in ancient time, I guess it’s not hard to find. Speaking of the forests, I remembered Jocelyn told me she has a friend who major in Forestry. I’ll ask her to help.”

Tina nodded, then paused a second, “Wait, Sylvia, did you tell crazy JD about your vampire study?”

Sylvia shook her head, “Not even a little bit. I earned this from Professor Marian. I promised her I can do some extra research and collect all the data she needs, and let her publish two dissertations at January’s International Seminar next year. But the deal is she has to let me do my favorite research topic to pass this semester.

“That’s it? She agreed?” Tina raised her eyebrow, found a little bit hard to believe. After all, doctorate dissertation was a serious issue. Basically, the moment Tina knew that Sylvia was going to study about the vampires she thought she was just wasting time. And of course, Tina had heard about the dream that hypnotized Sylvia.

“Un-huh.” Sylvia nodded and said, “Well, it’s because what Professor Marian is doing right now is extremely important to her, that’s why I make this request boldly.”

  “Fine.” Tina shrugged. “So basically crazy JD just knowing that you’re studying western history and nothing else?”

  “Sort of. But now I’m going to ask the friend of hers, she may ask me about what am I truly studying for.”

  “You still have to make lunch plans with her, aren’t you?”

  Sighed Sylvia, “Well, it’s only because I will ask for a favor from her.” Although she thought it was great to find out more information from her help, she still thought that if she doesn’t have to make lunch plans with Jocelyn would be better.

  Sylvia texted Jocelyn to have a lunch with her next Wednesday, also asked her to do her a favor asked the friend of hers from Forestry department hadn’t the person heard of Goytte Forest before; collected some information for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Basic information about the characters:
> 
> Sylvia Krane, blue eyes  
> Born in 1980 (Age: 28)
> 
> Tina Valletine, brown eyes  
> Sylvia's best friend  
> Born in 1979 (Age: 29)
> 
> Jocelyn Dale, blue eyes  
> Sylvia's schoolmate  
> Born in 1983 (Age: 25)


	3. Chapter 3

  Tuesday night, Sylvia was preparing the required papers for the meeting with Professor Prin while listened to some soft music. Professor Prin asked her to collect some middle age’s history of society development related data, and sent to his email within two weeks.

  It’s already the end of April; Sylvia planned to go on the field research two weeks later. No matter what, she had to finish it in two weeks without any interruptions. Sylvia always thought that all the professors she knew all treated her as some kind of genius, like she could manage every difficult thing and make it done in a short time. Sylvia thought _I’m just hard working_ ; _I don’t like anything delay in my life._

  Suddenly, her phone rang, it was from Jocelyn.

  “Hello?”

  A lovely voice echoing around her ear, “Hi, Sylvia! It’s me, Jocelyn.”

  “Hi.” She glanced at the clock on her desk; it was already 11:30 p.m., it’s a good time for postgraduates, “It’s late now, what’s up?” Sylvia did not sure why Jocelyn called her at this time exactly, aren’t they going to have lunch tomorrow?

  “I’ve already asked the friend of mine who major in Forestry Department.”

_Oh. It’s about the Goytte Forest?_

  “He’s my schoolmate; he said he had taken the class of Introduction of Forestry during the second year and the professor had told them a part of the history of Goytte Forest. I though you may like to know as soon as possible. Do you have anything can write it down?”

  “I’ll type it down in my computer.” Sylvia turned on her phone’s amplifier.

  “Okay. My friend Ken said that the Goytte Forest was once a lively city called San CrotaBey. The place was once reached to its most popular time around 1580; the population was around 75 hundred thousand people within one to two hundred years. There were three kings had ruled the kingdom, and were rumors said that the last king was died a terrible death. The citizens were gradually moved out during 1675 to 1680, and the whole place was empty and decayed eventually.”

　Sylvia thought basically Jocelyn’s friend Ken gave her the information was some part had matched, but still some details were not mentioned.

  Sylvia typed quickly, “Do you know the reason why all the citizens were all moved out from City of San CrotaBey?”

  “Well…” Sylvia heard the sound of turning pages, apparently Ken gave Jocelyn some documents, “Um…It’s because…there were rumors said that the vampires were lived in the city, however the news did not spread widely, so people gradually forget about it. Until the last King Vank Elmen was dead, then the rumors of the vampires like virus spreading quickly among all those citizens. People felt the place was not safe anymore, therefore they moved out to another kingdom or place to live.”

  This is the crucial point. Even Ken had this information of the vampires, this place must contain some important evidence of them, and now the question would be _where_?

  “Does the document mention where Goytte Forest is?”

  “It’s here, in England. It’s somewhere in the middle of Manchester and Buxton, now’s called Lyme Forest. That location is a combination of forests’ protection area; the historical remains are located in the middle of it.”

  Sylvia was really impressive that Ken could find so many details; she would not have question if Ken or Jocelyn becomes college professors in the future.

 "I only give you a part of the details, but I thought you may like to know it first. I asked Ken sorted all the information within one day to me.” Jocelyn sounded proudly; she seemed glad gave Sylvia the details first.

  "Then he's pretty good at it. Please tell him I'm really appreciated for his help."

  "It's no hassle." Jocelyn paused for a second, and then asked a question that Sylvia did not want to answer. "So, what are you researching now? Why do you need this kind of information?

  Sylvia thought if she told her she wanted to have a field research based on the correct location of the forest and finding about the vampires, will Jocelyn laugh at her? Or she will go with her voluntarily?

  She thought she had better make some excuses better than tell her the truth. This research was just for her, it won't be published.

  “I’m studying western history, middle ages. Haven't fully decided yet, that's why I want to collect many different data for me to refer, to see which way I can study to.”

  “I see. If you need more information, I will do my best to help you. I’ll give you the rest of it tomorrow.”

  “Thanks. Then I’ll see you at the Ariel Café around 2 p.m. tomorrow.”

  “Sure! Bye.”

  Sylvia hung up the phone, she was wondering whether the excuse had covered the real truth or not; she only hope that Jocelyn won’t ask her how did she know the title of “Goytte Forest”.

  Sylvia looked at her computer, read through all the words she had just typed. She knew the location of where the Goytte Forest was based on the massage Jocelyn gave her. She opened a website of map, typed “Manchester” and “Buxton”, the map showed these two locations immediately.

  Sylvia looked at the map, there is really a Forest Protection Area in the middle of the two cities; the measure of area was great, Sylvia can't even sure which place was once called Goytte Forest. But the truth that the place was once a city in this forest, it had really impressed her.

  Sylvia searched the related information about the Lyme Forest, besides the regular forbidden of barbequing in the forest and digging without authorizations, there were be no any problems if she wanted to enter the forest. The only thing she has to do would be arrived earlier.

 

  That night, Sylvia saw the beautiful woman in her dream again.

  The woman lay down beside her, stroke her cheek, “You are so beautiful. And you smell like a flower in the break of dawn.”

  The woman’s fingers gently traced her neck, one hand around Sylvia’s waist, constantly kissed her neck, her shoulder, and her ear once in a while.

  She knew this was all just a dream but somehow it did ring true; the woman’s grip on her wrists sometimes hard, sometimes gentle, Sylvia guessed she was conquering the feeling of thirst for blood. Based on what she had known, for a vampire, a fresh human just like a walking hamburger and it’s hard to resist.

  When Sylvia had an eye contact with her, she asked, “What’s your name?”

  The woman kissed Sylvia’s lips, blinked and smiled to her, whispered a name she didn’t know.

  “Hywings.”

 

  Wednesday, 2 o’clock in the afternoon. Sylvia met Jocelyn at Ariel Café.

  Sylvia kept telling herself that she mustn’t tell Jocelyn what was she really studying about, just take the documents and leave.

  She stepped in the cafeteria, saw Jocelyn waved her hand at her where the seats against the window, Sylvia walked to her, smiled.

  “You’ve waited here for a long time?”

  “No. I just got here. Do you want anything to drink?”

  “Well, maybe later.”

  “Sure.” Jocelyn took the documents out from her bag and handed to Sylvia, “Here.”

  “Thank you.” There were a few pages on her hand; just the word “Goytte Forest” can found out so many details was pretty amazing.

  “I’m a little curious, are these information that Ken collected were all from his class?”

  “Most of them were, some part of it were from books.”

  Sylvia thought, if the professor from Forestry Department can gave the students those important information, then how and where did he get it? Why the data she found was only one tenth of him? These data was hard to find, if she had known the professor from Forestry Department, she’d like to ask him herself.

  “So, you are studying the western history right?”

  “Yes.” Sylvia decided continuing with the fake story rather than reveal the truth. “I want to learn more about the Middle Ages’ people, about their clothing, diet culture, and their language etiquettes. I think the weather and the place that people lived may influence their culture and living attitude. That’s why I need a favor from you.”

  “Oh, I see. That sounds interesting! Would you like to read through them first? See if there anything needs more details, I can ask Ken for help.”

  “Won’t you owe him too much?”

  “No need to worry about that. He’s the one _owe_ me too much. Take your time; I’ll go fetch some coffee.”

  “Thank you.”

  The report contained the part from early ages to present. She skipped that and perused to the part of Goytte Forest.

  _The Goytte Forest was the name of Lyme Forest; it is located in England, near Manchester and Buxton._

_During the middle age period, it was a thriving city called San CrotaBey. The city reached to its most popular time around 1580 to 1670, population to its highest point was fifty hundred thousand. The weather was steady during each season; all the citizens were satisfied with their living situations._

_The center of San CrotaBey was called Itte Square during that time. To maintain the historical remains, now the entrance of Lyme Forest reconstructed to National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty._

_According to the German explorer in 1792, there is an arched entrance outside of the City of San CrotaBey; and there’s a strange trident symbol carved on the middle pillar. Inside the city, there’s an abandoned village; there’s a broken, dry fountain in the center of the Square. Though there were signs that people had lived here before with furniture broken into pieces, and some clothes on the ground, the strangest thing is there were blood splashed in the corner of some houses, and the whole city are covered with a gruesome atmosphere._

_Investigate more with the villagers about the history outside of the city of San CrotaBey, elder villagers had only knew that there were rumors the vampires had lived there before, but no one had actually seen them, and it was not clear that the fallen city had linked to the vampires._

  Sylvia felt excited but still had some doubts in her mind, some of the information in her hand she had already read from the library data, but even now Ken had collected these similar information, so maybe the vampires were real?

_In 1810, another history researching group from France came to the same place to study the variation between weather and the forests, accidently knew the legend of the Goytte Forest from the villagers nearby. According to the remaining data from the French scholars, the villager they gained information from, she said her grandmother from a couple of generations ago was one of the citizens from San CrotaBey. She had warned her grandchildren stayed away from the Goytte Forest; there were some evil things inside, terrifying._

  There was another field research in 1810? What was terrifying? Sylvia thought was there anything horrify than collected all the data within a month but actually should be collected for six months and hand in to Professor Prin?

_The villager said that her great-great-grandmother had told them the third King- also the last one- Vank Elmen, his body had been seen exposed outside of the castle, died in a terribly way, there was a visible bitten mark on his neck, like he was been dried out as a towel with a horrifying look on his face. Eventually the King’s demise had been known by all the citizens, they truly believed the vampires were exist, and they all had been moved out from 1675 to 1680, and the city is lay in ruins._

_In that time, the scholars thought this statement was hardly count as evidence, they all believed the villager was spoken nonsense, plus she said this story was told when her great-great-grandmother was very old, maybe she was delusional and made up the whole story, just wanted their next generation to leave the forest and live their own life in the big city. Therefore, those scholars did not take the story and went into the forest anyway. However, there were no information left from those scholars, and the time they went back to France was unknown._

This information made Sylvia more certain that the place must once have had the vampires. Though the data was one to two hundred years from now, what she could find or investigate at there may not be plenty, still can give it a try. She must be really careful, it seemed like there still has some unknowing danger.

  Jocelyn brought back two hot coffee on the table, one for Sylvia, “So what do you think of the information? Is it enough?” Jocelyn sat down and sipped her coffee.

  “Well, it looks like there are still have some mystery left in that place. The citizens from 1500 to 1670 were seemed fine because of the forest; they seemed had a simple life.” Sylvia smartly avoided using the word of _vampire_.

  “Well, looks like it was. But the last paragraph about the vampires is really absurd, don’t you think?”

  Jocelyn thought the vampires were absurd? She frowned, “Why is that?”

  “I read them last night; it only says that the local citizens were certain of the existence about the vampires it was because of the King’s death, don’t you think that was an excuse? If there were vampires, how they can survive for so many years without being discovered?”

  “That’s true. You think was there something or someone protecting them?”

  “It could be. Maybe they all had magic powers just like in the movies.” Jocelyn said, “But I don’t think the vampires truly exist. After all, they were all in the fiction, and this word was actually made by Bram Stoker in his novel ‘Dracula’.” She shrugged.

  Sylvia was glad she did not tell her the true, or she might get a negative reply. She simply smile and said, “I agree. Just to satirize the tyrant of Romania during that time.”

  Sylvia drank her coffee, thinking of based on this information no doubt she must go to Lyme Forest and take a look.

  However, there were still some questions she needed to find out: Why she only gained a half of the data from the library? And how the Professor from Forestry Department knew another part of it which Ken provided from?

 

＊

 

  “Why it hasn’t showed up? Why it hasn’t showed up?” Duncan was pacing outside of the chamber door, the guards dared not to move or ask. They all knew the general were panicking about the fifth victim why hasn’t appeared in the chamber.

  They also knew that during each month’s full moon that day must catch five citizens without any excuse, or the queen would be wrathful out of the question.

  Duncan gestured a guard on the left, “You! Go inside and check again, report to me.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Not even ten seconds the guard went back to the door, “General, there’s still nothing inside.”

  “What should we do now…?” Duncan kept pacing, anxiously.

  The queen showed up from behind, saw worrisome look on Duncan’s face. The queen walked to him, poker-faced.

  “Duncan.”

  “Yes, my queen?” Duncan saw the queen and kneeled down.

  “How many of them so far?”

  Duncan remained his head low, trembling, “Fo…Four.”

  The queen said with a cold voice, “Eventually would be. However, if the last one did not appear until midnight, you know what your responsibility is. You’d better start to pray.”

  Duncan knew the queen’s meaning of not replaced the last person himself but picked one of the guards to fill the position. Now he could only pray for the last person show up quickly, or he would lost a guard again.

  “Yes, my queen. I understand.”

  The queen left. Duncan turned back and looked at the guards almost freaked out and terrified. “You both heard the queen. Pray or one of you would be gone after midnight. I’ll go check those four villagers again in the prison, if anything happen, fetch me as soon as possible.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Ten minutes later, the guards heard a sound like a huge stone fall off the ground, not the usual sound they’ve been heard from the chamber.

  The guard on the left opened the chamber door, went inside and found out there was a woman appeared on the magic circle, without checking further he then asked the other guard watched the door and ran to Duncan.

  The guard found Duncan outside of the prison, “General,” He was still panting, “The fifth victim was just appeared! Also there is a strange thing beside the person which I’ve never seen one before.”

  Duncan and the guard ran back to the chamber door, in case did not see what was going on entirely, he grabbed a torch and walked in.

  As what the guard said, judging from the appearance, the person who lay on the ground was a woman. However, there was something beside her that even Duncan had never seen before, he dared not to touch.

  He also found that in this huge chamber, refraction from the flame, there was something shines in green on the woman’s neck; Duncan brought the torch closer, the woman wore a silver moon with an emerald crystal on it.

  Duncan felt confused, because what he had known was all the emerald crystals were rare and were all queen’s property, why and how the woman had it?

  He used the torch light to investigate the woman further, he saw the woman's left arm was bleeding; the wound looked quite deep, would it be possible that she was attacked by animals and then she transferred to here?

  The guard beside him saw what Duncan had saw, "General, what should we do? Proceed as the previous victims?

  Duncan thought for a while, if this woman was from other area’s aristocrat or royal members, and the queen knows they killed her, they will definitely be in hell for sure. They should ask the queen first, before any decision had made.

  “No. Don’t do anything. This situation is quite different than any other times. Go ask the queen to come at once.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  The guard strode out, Duncan took a closer look, the woman has long hair; put one finger beneath her nostrils, yes, she still have breathing, but it was faint. Duncan touched the woman’s cheek with a back of a hand and was surprised she had a fever. What should be done now?

  “What’s the situation? Report to me.”

  Duncan heard a voice and raised his head up saw the queen walked into the chamber. The queen squatted; Duncan put the woman’s pendant in his palm, “My queen, you must see this.”

  The queen was confused by the woman’s pendant, and examined for a while. This kingdom only she has the emerald gems, jewelries, or crystals. They are especially rare. Why this woman who lay on the ground also had it?

  Duncan saw the queen’s face full with confuse and doubt, considerate the woman was still bleeding and with high fever, Duncan thought he should asked the queen how to proceed their mission.

  “My queen, this woman is having a high fever, also there is a deep wound on her arm, should we rescue her? Or do as the previous way?”

  The queen remained silent for a while, considering, _If this person is a criminal, I shall have any reason to kill her; but a sick person’s blood is off-limits. Maybe wait until she wakes up and interrogate her later then._

  The queen was calmer with a tender look, “Rescue her. Take her to the guest room, but cuff her both hands before send the nurse to cure her. When she wakes up, I shall interrogate her.”

  “Then what should we do with her stuff?” Duncan pointed at the woman’s belongings.

  The queen took a glance at it, walked out the chamber and said, “No need to throw away. Check, and report to me.”

  “Yes, my queen.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Basic information about the character:
> 
> Duncan Williams, Brown Eyes  
> Queen's faithful soldier  
> Born in 1634 (Age: 35)


End file.
